Policy

Benefits are payable for disability due to injury or illness on
or off the job and will start when the insurance company declares
that a faculty member or academic professional has been totally
disabled for six
consecutive months from the last day of work. This program will pay
up to 66 2/3 of the individual’s monthly salary. There could
be minimum and maximum amounts, depending on the long-term policy
currently provided by the employee’s retirement plan.

Disability benefits are coordinated with payments for which the
faculty member or academic professional is eligible from:

Social Security

workers’ compensation

and

Arizona State Retirement and optional retirement
programs.

A faculty member or academic professional who has become disabled should apply for disability benefits after three months from the last day of work when the disability is expected to continue for a period of at least six months. All disabled faculty and academic professionals are advised to contact the local Social Security office for information concerning disability benefits payable under Social Security.

During the six months’ waiting period, an eligible faculty member or academic professional who becomes disabled will be considered:

on leave with pay while using all accrued sick leave and, if
desired or eligible, vacation leave

or

on leave without pay when all accrued sick leave and, if
desired or eligible, vacation leave has been used.

Eligibility for a long-term disability benefit does not ensure
continuance of an indefinite leave of absence. An eligible faculty member or academic professional who has been declared totally disabled may be terminated from employment after six months from the last day the faculty member or academic professional worked.

Procedure

The faculty member or academic professional notifies the chair or director and Human Resources of an impending
claim for long-term disability and submits the long-term disability documentation.